The Dissenter

#857 Amy Arnsten: The Prefrontal Cortex, and How It Responds to Stress

Nov 6, 2023
Amy Arnsten, Yale neuroscientist who studies the molecular control of higher cortical circuits. She discusses the prefrontal cortex: its role in working memory and emotional regulation. She explains why it is uniquely vulnerable to stress, how inflammation and aging impair it, links to ADHD, PTSD and long COVID, and pharmacological and lifestyle approaches to protect prefrontal function.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

ADHD Reflects Right Prefrontal Inhibition Deficit

  • ADHD commonly reflects reduced right inferior PFC development affecting response inhibition and distractibility.
  • Medications can normalize activity and help people meet modern demands that differ from ancestral contexts.
INSIGHT

Long COVID Cognitive Problems Linked To Inflammation

  • Long COVID cognitive deficits likely stem from systemic inflammation rather than direct viral brain invasion.
  • Inflammation can trigger tau pathology and kynurenic acid production that block NMDA and cholinergic receptors in PFC.
INSIGHT

PFC Working Memory Depends On NMDA And Acetylcholine

  • PFC working memory relies on recurrent glutamatergic NMDA-driven networks that self-excite without sensory input.
  • These synapses depend on acetylcholine for depolarization, tying PFC function to arousal and wakefulness.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app